Multifunctional switch

ABSTRACT

A multifunctional switch, especially a keyed seat adjusting switch, includes an actuating element which is positioned in a rotational manner and can be displaced in a crosswise manner in a housing which has associated switch contacts for acting on connection contacts and in which the switch contact associated with the rotational movement is integrated. A reversing lever co-operating with actuators and positioned on the housing side, is associated with the actuating element for each of its displacement directions in order to act on the corresponding switch contacts. The actuating element co-operates with the reversing levers by means of an axial guide flange.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention generally relates to electrical switches and moreparticularly relates to momentary-contact seat-adjustment switches.

An electrical momentary-contact switch with an actuating element that isarranged in a housing so that it can be turned and displaced crosswiseis known from the prior art. The actuating element cooperates with threeslide-type switching elements that respectively contain twospring-loaded contact rollers for acting upon strip contacts, whereinthe strip contacts are realized in the form of stamped grids. Thestamped grid is embedded in a base and contains terminal contacts. Thelongitudinal sides of the essentially rectangular slide-type switchingelements are aligned parallel to one another in the housing and containprojections that engage with the actuating element. Here, the centralslide-type switching element is guided on two ridges on the housingside, such that it can be displaced back and forth in a first traveldirection. The central slide-type switching element is not affected whenthe actuating element is turned. The two outer slide-type switchingelements are also guided by ridges on the housing side which are alignedperpendicularly to the ridges for the central slide-type switchingelement and can be displaced in a second travel direction of theactuating element that extends perpendicularly to the first traveldirection. The two outer slide-type switching elements are displaced inmutually opposite directions when the actuating element is turned. Thetwo outer slide-type switching elements are spring-loaded with respectto the housing in order to hold the actuating element and the slide-typeswitching elements in an idle position. The arrangement of theslide-type switching elements makes it impossible to act upon the stripcontacts by simultaneously turning and displacing the actuating element.

DE 196 10 344 A1 discloses a multifunction operating device for a motorvehicle which serves for the selection of menus and/or functions andcontains an operating element that can be actuated axially androtatably, where a complete function is activated by axially displacingthe operating element. The operating element cooperates with contactelements and is arranged such that it can be transversely displacedwithin at least one plane that contains the axis of the operatingelement. Menus and/or functions are assigned to the contact positions ofthe operating element along its transverse travel path within saidplane.

DE 40 33 129 A1 discloses a switching device with an actuating elementthat contains a stationary contact arrangement and a movable contactarrangement. In this case, contacts of the movable contact arrangementare displaced and act upon contacts of the stationary contactarrangement when the actuating element is displaced or turned. Thestationary contact arrangement and the movable contact arrangement arerespectively located in one plane. The contacts of the movable contactarrangement are combined in groups of three and mechanically coupled tothe actuating element.

DE 35 24 439 A1 and DE 197 56 052 A1 respectively disclose amultifunction switch for adjusting the mirrors of a motor vehicle,wherein these multifunction switches contain an actuating element thatis supported such that can be pivoted like a universal joint and turned.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is based on the problem of developing a multifunctionswitch of the initially mentioned type which has a compact design andmakes it possible to act upon terminal contacts by simultaneouslyturning and displacing the actuating element.

According to the invention, this problem is solved in that a guide leverthat is supported on the housing side and cooperates with actuators isassigned to the actuating element for each of its travel directions,wherein said guide levers serve to act upon corresponding switchingcontacts, and wherein the actuating element cooperates with the guidelevers by means of an axial guide projection.

Since the switching contact that acts upon assigned terminal contactswhen the actuating element is turned is functionally separated from theswitching contact assigned to the travel directions, it is ensured thatthe terminal contacts are acted upon by the switching contacts when theactuating element is simultaneously turned and displaced. In addition,the electrical momentary-contact switch realized in the form of amultifunction switch has a relatively simple and robust design.

The switching contact that is integrated into the actuating element ispreferably realized in the form of a contact roller that is supported ina spring-loaded fashion in the actuating element on the side that facesthe housing and acts upon strip contacts of a torsionally rigidprinted-circuit board that contains the terminal contacts. The directassignment of the contact roller to the actuating element ensures thatthe terminal contacts are acted upon when the actuating element isturned, independently of the position into which the actuating elementis displaced.

The printed-circuit board contains depressions in order to make itpossible to act upon the terminal contacts without noise when theactuating element is turned to a given switching position, whereincontact projections of the contact roller for contacting the terminalcontacts lie in said depressions in one of the switching positions.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the contactroller passes through an intermediate ring that carries at least onespring-loaded catch sleeve that cooperates with a cam plate on the endsurface of the actuating element which points in the direction of thehousing. The interaction between the at least one spring-loaded catchsleeve and the cam plate causes the actuating element to return to itsidle position after it was turned. This also generates a palpableresistance when the user attempts to turn the actuating element.

In order to achieve a compact design of the actuating element and thecomponents required for the switching processes when the actuatingelement is turned, the invention advantageously proposes that theprinted-circuit board be held in the intermediate ring by a carrierplate with clip arms that cooperate with the actuating element. Theactuating element is rotatably supported by the clip arms of the carrierplate.

In order to realize an arrangement of the carrier plate, theprinted-circuit board and the intermediate ring coupled to the carrierplate in the housing that is without rotational play, the carrier platepreferably contains projections that pass through an assigned housingwall, as well as a centering sleeve, and engage into correspondingrecesses of a torsionally rigid mating plate.

According to an advantageous additional development of the invention,the mating plate contains the cylindrical guide projection that pointsin the direction of a base and movably engages into a slot of a holdingplate. This means that the actuating element is reliably guided in thefirst of its two transverse travel directions due to the engagement ofthe guide projection into the slot.

In order to also realize the second moving travel of the actuatingelement by relatively simple means, the holding plate overlaps themating plate and is supported on the housing side such that it can bedisplaced in a direction that extends perpendicularly to the slot.

According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the guidelevers are realized at an angle and are pivotably supported in a carrierthat is fixed on the housing side, where one arm of each guide leverjoins the guide projection of the mating plate and the other arm lies onthe assigned actuator. The guide levers convert the sliding motion ofthe actuating element into a motion for acting upon the switchingcontacts which is directed perpendicularly to the sliding motion.

In order to precisely fix the guide levers in position, the cornerpoints formed by the legs of the guide levers are preferably providedwith opposing pivot projections that overlap the assigned pivot pins ofthe carrier.

In order to prevent the pivot projections of the guide levers and thepivot pins of the carrier from being subjected to high lateral forces,the legs of the guide levers which are assigned to the guide projectionof the mating plate advantageously lie in recesses of the carrier.

The legs of the guide levers which are assigned to the actuatorspreferably lie in actuator recesses in order to fix the actuatorshorizontally.

The actuators preferably are also fixed in position in that they areheld between prestressed domes of a switching substrate together withthe switching contacts and the assigned legs of the guide levers. Thismeans that no additional mounting elements are required for holding theactuators.

The base advantageously fixes a contact plate relative to the switchingsubstrate and presses the domes with the actuators lying on it againstthe corresponding legs of the guide levers with a certain amount ofprestress. In this case, the switching contacts accommodated in thedomes are moved such that they lie on the terminal contacts of thecontact plate when the guide levers are pivoted.

Needless to say, the previously discussed characteristics as well as thecharacteristics yet to be disclosed below can be used not only in therespectively described combination, but also in other combinationswithout deviating from the scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1, an exploded view of the multifunction switch according to theinvention;

FIG. 2, a top view of the multifunction switch according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3, a section along line III—III in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4, a section along line IV—IV in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5, a section along line V—V in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Now referring to FIG. 1, the multifunction switch in the form of amomentary-contact switch comprises a housing 1, into the upper housingwall 2 of which an actuating element 4 is inserted adjacent topushbotton switches 3, wherein said actuating element can be displacedtransversely, as indicated by the double arrows 5, 6 and turned asindicated by the double arrow 7. The end surface of the actuatingelement 4 is provided with symbols 8 that can be backlit in order toprovide a visual aid for the operation of the actuating element. Inaddition, a cover 9 is snapped into the free end surface of theactuating element 4.

On the opposite side of the cover 9, the actuating element 4 is providedwith a centrally arranged guide sleeve 10 that fixes an intermediatering 11. The intermediate ring 11 carries two spring-loaded catchsleeves 12 that are separated and that cooperate with a cam plate 13 ofthe actuating element 4, which extends section-wise around the guidesleeve 10. The intermediate ring 11 is realized in sections in the formof a reflector with two assigned light-emitting diodes 15 that arearranged on a printed-circuit board 14 and that serve to backlight thesymbols 8 of the actuating element 4.

A switching contact 17 in the form of a contact roller 16 is arranged inthe actuating element 4 in order to turn the actuating element, asindicated by the double arrow 7. The contact roller 16 is supported inspring-loaded fashion in the actuating element 4 on the side that facesthe housing wall 2 and acts upon terminal contacts 48 of theprinted-circuit board 14. In order to ensure reliable contacts in thecorresponding switching positions, the printed-circuit board 14 containsdepressions 18, in which contact projections 19 of the contact roller 16for acting upon the terminal contacts 48 lie in one of the switchingpositions. The printed-circuit board 14 is held in the intermediate ring11 by a carrier plate 20.

The carrier plate 20 contains clip arms 21 for simultaneously fixing androtatably supporting the actuating element 4, wherein said clip armsengage with the guide sleeve 10 of the actuating element 4. Theintermediate ring 11 is provided with clip arms 22 that engage with thecarrier plate 20 in order to fix the printed-circuit board 14 and thecarrier plate. In order to hold the intermediate ring 11 and theprinted-circuit board 14 without rotational play, the carrier plate 29of the holding plate 27. The holding plate 27 overlaps the mating plate26 and is guided between ridges 30 on the housing side such that it canbe moved as indicated by the double arrow 5.

Four angular guide levers 31 are supported on the cylindrical guideprojection 28 of the mating plate 26, wherein said guide levers arearranged in a carrier 32 that is mounted on the housing side so thatthey can be pivoted transversely relative to one another. One guidelever 31 is assigned to each travel direction of the actuating element 4indicated by the double arrows 5, 6. The guide levers 31 respectivelyjoin the guide projection 28 of the mating plate 26 with one leg 33,where the other leg 34 lies in a recess 35 of an actuator 36 forassigning switching contacts 37. Opposing pivot projections 37 thatoverlap assigned pivot pins 38 of the carrier 32 are integrally formedonto the guide levers 31 that are assigned which is formed by the twolegs 33, 34. The legs 33 of the guide levers 31 that are assigned to thecylindrical guide projection 28 of the mating plate 26 also lie inrecesses 39 of the carrier 32.

The switching contacts 47 assigned to the actuators 36 are arranged indomes 40 of a switching substrate 41, additional domes 42 of whichaccommodate switching contacts for the pushbotton switches 3. Theswitching substrate 41 lies on the contact plate 43 with the terminalcontacts 44 assigned to the switching contacts 47, where the contactplate, in turn, is held by the base 45. The domes 40 are presentedrelative to the actuators 36 in order to fix the actuators 36horizontally, where said prestress holds the actuators on the assignedlegs 34 of the guide levers 31.

When displacing the actuating element 4 in one of the directionsindicated by the double arrows 5, 6, the corresponding guide levers 31is pivoted by the guide projection 28 of the mating plate 26, and theassigned actuator 36 acts upon two domes 40 of the switching substrate 1until the corresponding switching contacts 47 contact the terminalcontacts 44 of the contact plate 43. At the same time, it is alsopossible to turn the actuating element 4 in one of the directionsindicated by the double arrow 7. Here, the contact roller 16 assigned tothe actuating element 4 contacts the terminal contacts 48 of theprinted-circuit board 14 that is connected to plug-type contacts for theon-board network via lines 46. After having been displaced and released,the actuating element 4 is automatically returned into the idleposition, due to the resetting of the domes 40 of the switchingsubstrate 41 which act upon the guide projection 28 of the mating plate26 by means of the assigned guide lever 31, so that the actuatingelement 4 is moved back into the idle position. The return of theactuating element 4 into the idle position from a turned position isachieved due to the cooperation of the spring-loaded sleeves 12 and thecam plate 13 of the actuating element 4.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

-   1 Housing-   2 Housing wall-   3 Pushbutton switch-   4 Actuating element-   5 Double arrow-   6 Double arrow-   7 Double arrow-   8 Symbol-   9 Cover-   10 Guide sleeve-   11 Intermediate ring-   12 Catch sleeve-   13 Car plate-   14 Printed-circuit board-   15 Light-emitting diode-   16 Contact roller-   17 Switching contact-   18 Depression-   19 Contact projection-   20 Carrier plate-   21 Clip arm-   22 Clip arm-   23 Projection-   24 Centering sleeve-   25 Recess-   26 Mating plate-   27 Holding plate-   28 Guide projection-   29 Slot-   30 Web-   31 Guide lever-   32 Carrier-   33 Leg-   34 Leg-   35 Recess-   36 Actuator-   37 Pivot projection-   38 Pivot pin-   39 Recess-   40 Dome-   41 Switching substrate-   42 Dome-   43 Contact plate-   44 Terminal contact-   45 Base-   46 Line-   47 Switching contact-   48 Terminal contact

1. A momentary-contact switch, comprising: an actuating element arrangedin a housing and adapted for turning and transverse displacementrelative to said housing, wherein the actuating element cooperates witha first and second switching contacts for acting upon terminal contacts,and wherein said a first switching contact is assigned to the turningmotion, and wherein said a first switching contact is integrated withthe actuating element, a plurality of guide levers supported on thehousing, wherein the plurality of guide levers cooperate with aplurality of actuators and wherein said guide levers are assigned to theactuating element, wherein said guide levers act upon said secondswitching contacts, and wherein the actuating element cooperates withsaid plurality of guide levers by means of an axial guide projection. 2.Momentary-contact switch according to claim 1, wherein the firstswitching contact, which is integrated with the actuating element, isrealized in the form of a contact roller that is supported inspring-loaded fashion a side of the actuating element that faces thehousing and wherein the roller acts upon strip contacts of a torsionallyrigid printed-circuit board that contains said terminal contacts. 3.Momentary-contact switch according to claim 2, wherein theprinted-circuit board contains depressions for engaging contactprojections of the contact roller.
 4. Momentary-contact switch accordingto claim 2, wherein the contact roller passes through an intermediatering that carries at least one spring-loaded catch sleeve, wherein saidcatch sleeve cooperates with a cam plate on an end surface of theactuating element.
 5. Momentary-contact switch according to claim 4,wherein the printed-circuit board is held in the intermediate ring by acarrier plate with clip arms that cooperate with the actuating element.6. Momentary-contact switch according to claim 5, wherein the carrierplate contains projections that pass through a wall of the housing andengage with corresponding recesses of a mating plate without rotationalplay.
 7. Momentary-contact switch according to claim 6, wherein themating plate contains a cylindrical guide projection that points in thedirection of a base member and movably engages with a slot of a holdingplate.
 8. Momentary-contact switch according to claim 7, wherein theholding plate overlaps the mating plate and is supported on the housingmovable in a direction perpendicular to the slot.
 9. Momentary-contactswitch according to claim 7, wherein the guide levers are formed at anangle and are pivotably supported in a carrier that is fixed on thehousing, wherein one leg of each guide lever joins a guide projection ofthe mating plate and another leg of each guide lever lies on one of theplurality of actuators.
 10. Momentary-contact switch according to claim9, wherein the guide levers contain opposing pivot projections on cornerpoints formed by said legs, wherein said pivot projections overlapassigned pivot pins of the carrier.
 11. Momentary-contact switchaccording to claim 9, wherein some of the legs of the guide levers whichare assigned to the guide projection of the mating plate lie in recessesof the carrier.
 12. Momentary-contact switch according to claim 9,wherein some of the legs of the guide levers which are assigned to theactuators lie in recesses of the actuators.
 13. Momentary-contact switchaccording to claim 1, wherein said plurality of actuators are heldbetween prestressed domes of a switching substrate that contains theswitching contacts and legs of the plurality of guide levers. 14.Momentary-contact switch according to claim 13, wherein a base fixes acontact plate relative to the switching substrate and presses the domeswith the actuators lying thereon against the legs of the plurality ofguide levers with a certain amount of prestress, wherein the switchingcontacts accommodated in the domes come in contact with terminalcontacts of the contact plate when the guide levers are pivoted.